R driver’s bumper sticker puts brakes on bad-mannered drivers!

A young woman from Antrim is putting the brakes on bad-mannered motorists who unnerve new drivers.

Antonia Cunningham, 19, got her licence last year, but says she is often intimidated by impatient road users.

Antonia's bumper sticker

So she created a bumper sticker with Fixers, the UK-wide charity that gives young people a voice, to urge motorists to have more consideration for new R-plate drivers.

“I was once waiting at a busy roundabout and heard someone beeping behind me. Before I knew it, everyone was beeping and I got really panicked,’ says college student Antonia. “I have the same right to be on the road as anyone else. People should realise that they were once new drivers too.”

Leading a team of her friends who worked with Fixers, Antonia is proud of their bumper sticker which uses the slogan ‘Respect R Drivers’.

“I think it might help motorists to be more understanding on the road,” said Antonia.

“In my experience, people see your R-plates and automatically have a negative view of you as a driver.”

Antonia and her team now plan to share the stickers with driving instructors and youth centres.

“Hopefully, the campaign will make people think twice on the road and respect motorists of all abilities,” she added.

Fixers works with young people aged 16-25 across the UK by providing them with resources to help them campaign on issues they feel strongly about. The charity has helped more than 18,000 youngsters across the UK to have a voice in their community on issues such as cyber-bullying, self-harm, suicide or transphobia.

For more information or to make a donation to fund more Fixer projects, visit www.fixers.org.uk